Pak Taliban still in control of several areas in Buner

International

Staff

Posted By: Staff

Published: Thursday, April 16, 2009, 16:19 [IST]

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Peshawar, Apr 16 (ANI): Pakistan Taliban militants are still holding several areas of Buner, carrying out armed patrol to keep up a campaign for recruiting fighters, and having no impact of the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation, as demanded by their Swat counterparts.

The repetition of Swat-like scenes could now be seen in parts of Buner district as barbers displayed "shave is banned" papers at their shops while tailors put notices inscribed with "sewing of un-Islamic dresses is prohibited."

There were no threats, locals said, to barbers or tailors but they put a self-imposed ban on shaving off beards and sewing modern dresses to avoid wrath of the militants, as they had forced their co-professionals in Swat into stopping such practices.

Though there were no clashes between people-militants or militants-police, locals from Swarai and Daggar said, the militants rigorously kept up their campaign to recruit fresh fighters in their force, The News reported.

The militants' commander along with his armed fighters addressed a big gathering of people at College Masjid, or mosque, in Swarai and Elai on Wednesday and asked people to join their ranks.

Maulana Fazlullah-led militants had time and again said they would stop militant activities and lay down arms if Nizam-e-Adl was enforced, but it was not the case even after the enforcement of Shariah.

Expressing surprise over the continuing activities of militants, TNSM spokesman Amir Izzat Khan said that it was not helpful for building trust and bringing peace.

However, he said Sufi Muhammad was going to make an important announcement in April 19 public meeting about militants role. He said if the militants did not stop activities, they would withdraw from the peace process or consider another option. (ANI)